PANAJI
Minister for Cooperation and Tribal Welfare Govind Gaude on Friday said he is open for discussion with any political party on the issue of contesting the 2022 assembly elections from Priol on their platforms.
Gaude is an Independent and told journalists on the sidelines of an official government function that he has not had any meetings with representatives of the Trinamool Congress, which is on a mission to enlist politicians and influencers in the State to fight the 2022 assembly elections.
Gaude, however, said he is open to talking with any political party if it is offering him its ticket and added that the Aam Aadmi Party had approached him and are in touch with him.
"AAP had come to me, and presently also they are in touch with me. I will take stock of the situation before joining any party,” he said, adding that a decision can be taken only after he consults with all his karyakartas and sympathisers.
Gaude has in the past been shepherded along with other BJP MLAs and ministers to close-door meetings with BJP's central officials including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national general secretary in-charge of the Goa desk, CT Ravi, fuelling speculation about the likelihood of him joining the BJP ahead of the 2022 polls.
On June 11 this year, following a meeting with Ravi and another BJP national general secretary BL Santosh, Gaude had said that he was ready to join the saffron party, if its officials made him an offer.
On June 18 this year, he also said that he would contest as an independent MLA if the BJP ties up with the BJP for the assembly polls.
When asked about his meeting with Amit Shah, during the Union Home Minister's recent visit, Gaude insists that politics was not a part of the discussion with the former BJP national president. The conversation with Shah, Gaude who holds the Co-operatives portfolio, said was focussed on Co-operatives-related issues, because Shah is also the Union Ministry who holds the Co-operatives portfolio.
"I have contested four elections as an independent. I have faith in the voters of Priol. They vote for Govind Gaude and not for any political party," the cabinet minister said.
BJP's political tryst with Gaude, a sworn rival of the powerful Dhavalikar brothers of the MGP, is likely to hinge on whether the ruling party eventually ties up with the MGP ahead of the 2022 polls.
